


Playing A Dangerous Game

by Kunda



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: 30 Days Without An Accident- Present, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Animal Instincts, Attempt at humour, Betrayal, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family Bond, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Character Death, One Time Fling, Other, Slow Build(I Hope), Some canon deaths dont happen, Someone Has a Dog, Supernatural Elements, Surprise & Hate, Updates & Rewrites Will Be Made, minor injury, shifter!AU, soft spots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-23
Updated: 2018-06-23
Packaged: 2019-05-27 14:03:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15026234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kunda/pseuds/Kunda
Summary: What makes a survivor? Someone who passes lifes harsh conditions and pulls themselves up despite the happenings around them. That is what Signe is, a survivor who was nothing more than a dancer before the world fell and took everyone anyones ever loved and ate their happiness. Even now she is determined to survive, using instincts as her guide to help her survive and protect her companion.





	1. Faded Times

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: First off im glad you decided to click on my story! Now its my job to keep you around!
> 
> Let me tell you that even though ill be changing a few canon plot points so having my own ofc will make more sense, if you dont like that then i totally understand thats your choice. Id also like to go and say that i by no means own anything in The Walking Dead(tv) or the franchise as a whole im only /Safely/ writing my own story into the shows story for fun. Therefore there will be injuries, emotional breakdowns, relationship building, and points where the ofc barely makes it out alive along with others.
> 
> Besides, surviving isnt easy nor is it safe.

_What makes a survivor? Someone who passes life's harsh conditions and pulls themselves up despite the happenings around them. That is what Signe is, a survivor who was nothing more than a dancer before the world fell and took everyone anyone ever loved and ate their happiness. Even now she is determined to survive, using instincts as her guide to help her survive and protect her companion._

_Bang. Clank. Tch._

_Signe stood over the kitchen sink washing roughly at the inside of a frying pan with a wet rag. Her feet pressed harshly against the tiled floor as she kept herself positioned against the sink, hands balling up over the rag as she began to wash harder and harder. There was no doubt in the world that she was angry at her mother for leaving her at home with her father while she went off and spoke to the dance teacher about her own wrongs. Signe knew that getting into a fight was wrong but the girl had it coming if she hadn't called her a stupid slut maybe she wouldn't have a cut lip and bruised eye._

_Her hands went limp at the memory, allowing the frying pan and rag along with her hands fall into the hot soapy water. She looked blankly through the window above the sink, her multicoloured eyes tracing over the picture in front of her. An open field with few trees in the space but tonnes surrounding the area with a garden to the left side of the field, three horses grazed in the field while two shepherds ran and pounced on each other playfully. Signe’s family was by no means wealthy but they got by when Signe was paid for dancing, her father harvested the plants and her mother got paid for sitting around and watching her husband and daughter do the most work. Prissy bitch._

_Signe never enjoyed her mother's company, she was always stuck up and extremely hard to talk with. Not only because Signe had topics about dancing but also because she had a feeling her mother didn’t care to speak for a little dancing farmhand, but that didn’t stop Signe from dancing and helping out no matter what. The young teen slid back, pushing herself away from the sink and towards the table so she could sit down, the memory of the fight taking over while a small smirk perked at the corners of her mouth._

* * *

  

Silence befell Signe’s cell once more because unlike earlier Beth wasn’t here with a baby Judith to help soothe her nerves from what the Governor had hidden from the Woodbury people. Although even now she didn’t exactly believe the wood bury folks who turned over to Rick’s group but what choice did she have. Now Signe along with her dog Hela laid quietly in an extra cell while the others settled down for the night, but it wasn’t as simple for Her because the lies Phillip had told his own people still stung her like a wasp.

She sucked a thick breath through her teeth like a hiss when Hela jumped up onto the jail bedding and stepped on her thigh, getting the reaction of a cat being cornered. The dog simply wagged her tail and plopped beside the former agent, resting her snout against her owner's thigh before letting out a soft sigh and closing her eyes in relaxation, something the two hadn’t gotten since the Governor had first caused their group trouble by taking Glenn and Maggie captive. Rolling onto her side so she could stare at the wall opposite of the bunk bed, Signe grumbled to herself. Pulling her left arm up and under her head comfortably, until it started to cramp later on then she would move it.

Her dog prodded softly with her nose at the woman’s leg, bumping her before she went still again, though Signe tugged herself up. Swinging her legs over the side of the hard bedding and letting the cool floor send a hard chill up her legs and into her core, not exactly what she wanted to feel during the colder nights of Georgia but she couldn’t tell the weather what to do, she could barely tell herself what to do Christ.

  

* * *

_Signe tossed herself to sit up and hang her legs off the side of her bed, toes touching the cold wooden tiled floor and gaining the reaction of pulling her feet back up and crossing her legs before she twisted, bent and reached to turn her bedside lamp on, succeeding but shutting her eyes tightly at the sudden change in atmosphere. The week passed by fairly quickly since her argument and exile from the dance team but now she had already searched for dance teams in Canada willing for another member and succeeded in that. The fact that it was so easy shocked her even if it wasn't that shocking. She shook her head softly, cupping her cheeks with her hands and sighing into them as the moon sheeted the window and surrounding area with darkness, the only light in that dark being some of the moons._

* * *

 

 

It took her a few seconds to regain her posture and pull her boots on before she opened the cell door slowly, cringing at the creaking it made in the silence of the black sheeted prison. She had come to America from Canada because she was on vacation from dancing. Wrong place at the wrong time.

“Hela, stay”

The dog obliged, sinking into the warmth of the blanket and bed like it meant the world to her whereas her owner slunk out and away from the cell. Tossing a heavier plaid jacket over herself and zipping it up so she wouldn’t get cold, next she flipped the hood of her already put on black hoodie over her head so she wouldn’t pull attention to her but also fend off the cold of the night.

She needed a break from that claustrophobic room and night watch was the closest thing to it at this place and time of the world. She slipped her hands into her jacket pockets and snuck away from the cell block and into the open prison field, legs moving her quickly across the open space so she could go sit against the bottom of the guard tower and watch the sunrise the next morning. Considering it was around midnight she had maybe six hours to kill outside alone, long but not impossible.

Signe sat in her own quiet for a few hours, huffing or grumbling when a walker would disturb with their pitiful groans and begin to fret at the fence over the potent scent of living beings in the safe zone. But how safe could it be when, in reality, the dead weren't the only things people had to fear? It was a dangerous life, her father taught her that before the world went to shit as well. She crossed her arms, legs stretched out along the grass like a happy dog on a hot day, which was half true because it had begun to warm up the closer it came to daytime.

Signe let her head fall back against the hard cement of the guard tower, ready to close her powdery brown/blue sectoral heterochromia eyes as she accepted sleep, but was interrupted by the bud of a cigarette flying from the tower above and onto the grass in front of her. Irresponsible fuck, when had Daryl got on shift? Who knows.

 

* * *

 

_The Woman let her head fall back as the sun beamed down and warmed her greatly. Her dark brown hair pulled back in a messy bun since she had woken up and decided against leaving her hair down to get in her way or collect dirt while she harvested strawberries in the hot summer day. When she returned to her work she was shocked by approaching footsteps and couldn’t help but look at her new visitor through the corner of her eyes, a smirk pulling at her lips before it broke into a beaming smile. Her father had decided to join her._

_“My daughter finally decided to come back from her trip and harvest our strawberries”_

_The old man bent beside Signe and picked up a ripe strawberry, popping it in his mouth teasingly before closing it and swallowing the berry, his own brown eyes bright in contrast to the sun, he always managed to look happy even when he was stressed about work._

_“You sir are playing a very dangerous game!”_

_“Sure_ I _am Sig, so how’s the big twenty treating you?”_

_The young woman contemplated her answer, slumping into herself as she thought out her answer and snuck a bright red strawberry into her very own mouth. Chuckling when her father gave her a cheeky smile of his own. She timidly wiped a bead of sweat from her brow, furrowing them from the heat of the day._

_“Wonderful, pa, it's treating me wonderfully. Competitions are next month so I have a while of practices before we head out, then go on vacation in Savannah, Georgia and move to Atlanta for one last spin”_

_“Ooo big America, meet some hot men for me and bring back a really strong one. Need another farmhand besides the dogs and some hired men”_

_“_ Ill _be sure to do /just/ that dad, give me a day or two and ill have a real stud around”_

 _Both stood quickly, Signe grabbing the bucket of newly grown strawberries before they turned and walked out of the garden. She pulled her gloves off along the way and hung them over the side of the bucket, sectoral brown-blue eyes meeting brown ones as they joked and spoke. She_ couldn't _wish for anything else._

* * *

She stood quickly, heavier and more clumsy than she would have thought in her growing tired state. Signe began to walk back towards the cellblock she rested in, closing the blocks door as softly as she could to avoid waking the others or the baby. But something caught her eyes as she walked by all the cells on the first level, a soft light that shone through a sheet over the closed cell door. She moved slowly, stalking towards the cell with posture straighter than a ruler. Signe couldn’t refuse the warm feeling that took over when she opened the cell and pushed the sheet out of the way to show her the sight of Carl beneath his blanket as he used his flashlight against a comic book, sure she could only see the shadow of him and what he was doing but it was enough to tell her what was going on clearly.

“Carl”

Her voice wasn't as kind as it usually was to the young boy, it was instead maternally stern to the point that the flashlight clicked off and the young man slipped from under the covers to look at Signe, his eyes closing for a second to adjust to the sudden darkness.

“Y-yes?”

“Time for bed, pass the torch and your comic ill return it tomorrow”

He obliged, slowly at first but after a few seconds of hesitation passed both items over before falling onto his side and staring at the wall.

“Goodnight Carl. I'll see if Rick will let me take you to check the traps tomorrow if that makes you feel any better”

Then she took to her leave, keeping her steps as softly as she could as she closed both his curtain and cell door and walked away contently. Dropping the flashlight and comic down onto her bed when she had returned to her designated quarters. Hela chirped up with a gentle yip and nuzzled into the space between Signe’s arm and side, licking her lips as if she were waiting to be fed that wasn't that far off in the end.

“Sleep Hela, we’re going out for food tomorrow. Use those herding skills for something other than wrapping the children into their story time”

Signe chuckled softly, petting her companions head playfully. Getting her fingers behind her ears then down to her neck and chin.

When the sun rose in the morning, so, too, did the children and adults of the prison. Though as always Signe remained in bed, shoving Hela off during the night so she could stretch out and take as much rest in as she could during these harder months. It had been awhile since things had gone haywire and gotten someone killed but that didn’t mean the prison group wouldn’t keep their eyes and ears out for anything suspicious. She let a few minutes pass before rolling off her bed, missing Hela by a few inches even if she missed on purpose. The former dancer lifted her arms and pulled her dark brown hair back into a lazy ponytail, flopping her limbs to her sides like she had gotten up for school at six in the morning. Despite it being around seven or eight. Her head lolled to the side when sleep momentarily grasped her.

Signe jolted awake when Hela licked her cheek and pushed her to the side, pawing at her before crouching and moving out of the cell submissively. Her owner moved to stand up, standing still and holding the top bunk of her bunk to ward off the black that overthrew her vision and gave her that temporary dizzy blindness. When it was clear in her vision again Signe began to walk, her destination the guard tower for her shift, even if it was switching with Dixon she could care less. She needed to get out of the place, even if she did last night.

Let's hope the next months serve the group good and didn’t come to bite the somewhat innocents in the ass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick note for future reference.. i know it seems like Signe is around 30 or more but she’s really young. 20 at the start and now 23 so you get the jist. Also? Her eyes are sectoral heterochromatic so they have different colours inside the same eye (blue-brown). They don't bother her sight but that might change ;)
> 
> Hope this first chapter was boring enough to make you stay around and remember that comments are always nice to where my story is weak! Im trying to improve my work and feedback is always welcomed, good and bad!


	2. Breakfast & Cards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slow Paced Chapter. Signe is forced on a run with Daryl by Rick and they play cards.

The morning sun burnt into Signe's eyes when she had made her way out and into the courtyard, right hand and forearm going up and covering her eyes from the bright morning sun because even though Signe enjoyed bright days she didn't enjoy that temporary blindness in the morning. When she could see clearly without the help of her arms shadow she let her arm fall back to her side and walked towards the growing group of people, a happy smile pulling at the corners of her mouth when she saw Rick, Glenn, Maggie, Beth and Judith sitting at a table. She moved forward, putting herself into a seat beside Beth and Judith.

The younger blond smiled at her, receiving a gentle nod from her older friend when Rick cleared his throat to gain her attention. When Signe looked though Rick was slowly handing her a grown cucumber with that look on his face that said not to mention anything because he would be considered picking favourites, Signe knew well enough that Michonne didn't exactly enjoy favourites when it came to the fresh food, so she grabbed it as soon as she saw it and began to nibble on it. Sectoral coloured eyes flicking away at the smell of fresh meat being put out on the grill. Her head perked up at the new smell, eyes falling closed and when she felt eyes on her opened them again to look around.

She made eye contact with Patrick and carl, so doing the next best thing she turned her head away from the teenage boys and put her attention on Rick, licking her lips before taking her right hand and moving her dark hair from her face. instead, leaving it flipped to one side happily.

"So Rick, I caught carl reading his comics late last night, took them away and put em on the table inside. im starting to think he needs to have them taken away." Signe's voice came out too soft, maybe even teasing the younger men if they paid attention.  
"Yeah well he always does, cant stop a boy from staying late, bet you did the same thing" She waved him off, chuckling lightly as he turned to give his son a look she didn't care to comprehend. Though when the blocks door opened again and Daryl walked out Signe's nibbling n the cucumber broke into a full-blown bite and with a snap the cucumber was chopped off and being chewed. She hardly noticed when he looked and scowled at her, she didn't hate him! no! that's absurd, she just didn't care for him much is all, always smoking and leaving butts around. There was a child for crying out loud, many children!

Signe could almost feel Patrick flinch from her bite and retreat back into his conversation as her gaze hardened into a glare at Dixon while he walked away towards Carol, he's lucky Signe didn't give him something to complain about. Damn men. The older woman was about to get up and go inside when Maggie broke the tension with her own concerns.

"so I've been thinking about the children here and was wondering if when we're on runs we should grab games if we see them? the children seem a bit bored when chores are all done?"

Granted, the idea was smart but Signe didn't have a say so she just continued to chew on her chunk of cucumber until she needed to take another bite, doing just that is ease. While the group began speaking of it Signe pulled herself into her thoughts, concentrating on what ran through her mind than anything else that had been there before. She could go for a run, maybe find board games, maybe some adult games. The possibility was huge but going out for games and not food could wait, instead, she kept her concentration thick to nothing.

Signe was shaken from her thoughts when a potent smell hit her nose, one that was coming from beside her. She moved back, blinking her eyes to get herself from her daydream and look to who was beside her. Daryl Dixon was that's who, a man of few words but a thick layer of sweat and grime. He didn't need breakfast, Nah he needed a damn shower. So Signe turned to face him, leaning back slightly when the scent of salty sweat hit her once more, but more strong. She shoved a hand, the one holding her cucumber, down onto the table and grumbled miserably. Tossing Daryl a side glance when she turned around to face Rick again, mentally begging the man to get the hunter to shower. She only got him to shrug and begin speaking to Daryl.  
"Daryl, when are you going on that hunt?" The man beside her grunted, breaking from his plate to answer messily.

"Aint gonna go till after dark, why?" 

* * *

 

Why? Why was right, Dixon. Damn Rick and his urge to get his people closer, he was only ripping them apart and if he hadn't practically forced Daryl to take Signe along with a whole damn horse for travel they wouldn't be in disgusting moods, walking through the woods while both of them were at an irritatingly close range. Sitting together on Michonnes  ~~Claimed~~  steed while they trotted along to the closest cabin Daryl had remembered to be there.

Signe didn't take her eyes off the holstered handgun against her hip, running her hand over the wooded and metal handle every so often so she could remind herself that this was real life and things hadn't returned to normal. She closed her eyes, sucking in a sigh before releasing it and leaning herself lazily against the horse's saddle. But at least she had gotten Daryl to shower before they left, she did as well, considering that they were going to be gone for a day or two on the run.

she sat behind Daryl, silent while they travelled through the forest and towards Daryl's temporary home. He had mentioned they were going to stay there when they were packing to leave but as always Signe ignored him and began doing her own thing. Saddling up the horse and grabbing her packs along with a knife and handgun Rick had taken from her when she got into a fight with a former Woodbury folk because they called her dog eyes.

Daryl shifted uncomfortable, kicking the horse's sides to speed them up a bit more than a steady trot. It came clear to Signe that Dixon was good with animals, but even she could tell that he was uncomfortable with how close the two were to each other. This made Signe stifle an understanding sigh before testing the waters and putting her hands on his shoulders, grumbling when his crossbow blocked one of her hands from testing him, but she moved it and began to rub his back anyway. Her own tense posture relaxing when he didn't immediately kick her off the horse and force her to walk.

"The hell you doing woman?" rough and curious, Signe continued. Waiting a few seconds so she could let herself linger in her memories.

"I use to massage my sister's shoulders after performances," She moved her right hand to her face, brushing the loose strands of hair away. "Not actual sisters, I was a dancer and when we stressed in practices we would be sore after the main performance.

Daryl hummed in response, stretching out his back when Signe dropped her hands back to her sides and turned her attention towards the birds chirping around them. They were both quiet again, the horse nickering or whinnying every so often.

* * *

 

An hour or two passed before the pair had gotten to a slight opening with a very small log house in the middle of it, vegetation covering the side with what Signe could see already. Excitement tugged at her heart and when Daryl stopped the steed by the house she wasted no time hopping off and moving over to the door of the house, her walk quick but not exactly rushed.

Now the two sat inside on couches opposite of each other, gazing down at their own stacks of cards like they were the most interesting thing in the world. Daryl wouldn't have been playing a stupid card game if Signe didn't coax him in by offering some jerky she found stashed back at the prison, a card game for jerky, he had sunk so low since the beginning.

”bullshit” Signe slapped her deck down face first, leaning forward to stare into Daryl’s eyes. Desperately searching for the answer to if her assumption was correct or not.

”Naw, I'm telling the truth. It's an eight. Pick up the stack or I'm not gonna play” He let a smirk cross over his lips, and although it wasn't noticeable Signe fell back into the sofa and groaned. Defeated by her competitive ways. But she picked up the stack anyway, grumbling miserable cussings out towards the man in question.

They sat like this for a few minutes more, cussing at each other and tossing the cards down when they had no choice but to pick up the stack. It was quiet all except for the two and the horse outside whinnying while he ate, even when one of the two had to go dispose of a walker before it could eat their steed they stayed relatively quiet. When the game finished though, it all went too quiet and Signe excused herself to go and baby the horse they used to travel. Hands running up and down the snout of the steed like he was the best thing since sliced bread, which in the end wasn't that far off at all.

Signe was selfish in her own way, considering the way she was caught up in challenges of others before the world fell or how she used many of her dance partners for her own gain in that world. She felt horrible for it, really, but they would be all dead now anyway. She would be too, soon if she wasn't careful of her actions.

* * *

 

**Submerged in doubt**


End file.
